The people in Nakoro and Navitilevu in the province of Nadroga Navosa will be able to access better infrastructure including tar sealed roads by September 2022.

The project alone includes an access road length of five kilometres to be sealed, a bridge and an irish crossing.

Minister for Infrastructure, Meteorological Services, Lands and Mineral Resources, Jone Usamate visited the construction site last week.

He said the project includes the bridge, which is 20 metres and has two lanes while the Irish crossing is 62 metres long and two metres high.

The location of the project gives Nakoro Village access to Navitilevu Village, via Draubuta Road, which comes to a cost of $8.5million.

The anticipated project completion is for September 23, 2022.

The rugged terrain in the Nadroga/Navosa highlands.

Project update

Mr Usamate said: “This project is about 50 per cent complete, is on track, but there is a lot of be done.”

“Given that we are into the wet season and this is government commitment to give such access to the people here. It is one of the remaining villages up here and good to see they have solar power.”

Navitilevu Village headman Josevata Naikarawa said that roading to their village was made possible right to their village.

“This infrastructure needs a milestone celebration,” he said.

“Our lifestyle here include commuting by walking or riding on horseback or carrying sick people and even our produce carried right to the next village where we can connect to road networks.

“This is a big development to assist us this far. It has been a while since we had to walk down to the river to cross on foot.

“It is a new chapter for us at Navitilevu. We have had a tough time before but because this government continues to look after all Fijians and assisted us. We are not left out of their vision,” Mr Naikarawa said.

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